


What Courage Gives Us

by I_am_a_Cephalopod



Series: What Could Have Been [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, baby!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-26 23:36:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1706708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_am_a_Cephalopod/pseuds/I_am_a_Cephalopod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for anonymous prompt: Sleeping Warrior prompt; Aurora chooses Mulan when Mulan confesses her feelings and they raise Aurora's baby together in the Enchanted Forest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start of Something Good

The words hurt, hearing that Aurora and Philip were going to be happy together. They were starting a family, and Mulan had no place in that. It was too late, and all she could think of doing was leaving, because staying hurt too much. Besides, what right did she have to break up this budding family? How could she think of ruining the friendship she had formed with the princess, one she fears she could never live without?

But there was a voice in the back of her head, telling her that it wouldn’t be fair, to keep her feelings to herself. Aurora had the right to know, to make the choice herself. Mulan would just have to respect her feelings.

“Mulan?” Aurora asked, making Mulan realize that she had been silent for too long. The look of worry on the princess’ face was the last push she needed.

“You once asked me if I loved Prince Philip,” she started, her words soft and cautious. “I just want you to know that, no, I don’t love him. He is a good man, worthy of respect, but I could never love him, because my heart belongs to another. I must confess, that, while I was watching out for you, while he was gone, it wasn’t just because I owed it to him.” Mulan stepped forward, expecting the princess to step away, but she stayed very still, a look of understanding dawning slowly on her face.

“I could never let anything happen to you,” Mulan continued, “And I want you to know I would follow you to the ends of the world, and expect nothing in return. I love you, Aurora, I truly do. I know that you love Philip, and I’m so happy for you that you’re starting a family, but you had the right to know how I feel. If you wish me gone, I will go. But I will stay by your side no matter what if you let me.”

The silence that stretched between them began to grip at Mulan’s chest with icy claws, tearing closer to her heart with a sense of dread. Aurora’s face was one of pure shock, and she leaned heavily on the rail next to her. Neither woman moved for what seemed like an eternity, until Mulan felt her heart crack. She turned away, trying to hide the tears building in her eyes from the love that she never had a chance with.

“Mulan wait!” The warrior tried to pull her arm away from the hand that had grabbed it, but the princess’ grip was surprisingly strong, and Mulan didn’t actually want to get away.

“I don’t need your pity. If you do not want me I understand, do not give me hope when there is none,” Mulan pleaded.

“There’s always hope.”

A smile flashed across Aurora’s face before she kissed Mulan softly. Her lips were soft as rose petals against Mulan’s, and the kiss was over far too fast for either woman’s liking. Still, Aurora pulled away to look at Mulan with a grin.

“I love you too, my beautiful warrior.”

Mulan couldn’t help herself, swooping in for another, harder kiss. She wrapped her arms around the princess’ waist, one hand resting on her hip and the other on the small of her back. Aurora’s small hands came up to cradle the back of her head, putting a gentle pressure there that grounded Mulan. The warrior wished she wasn’t in her armor, wanting to feel her princess pressed up fully against her body. That would come later though, now was a time for breathless laughter and feather light kisses, and Mulan would revel in it.

“What about Philip?” Mulan asked quietly, worried about hurting her friend.

“Truth be told, I think he will be relieved,” Aurora laughed.

“What do you mean, relieved?”

“Well, neither of us was entirely happy with what we had. We thought a baby would fix it, but now I realize that the problem wasn’t something that could be fixed. I loved you and he wasn’t what I needed. I think he knew, somehow, he just couldn’t… wouldn’t bring it up.”

“And what about the baby?” Mulan spoke even quieter, afraid of how much more rejection would hurt now.

“Who’s to say a baby can’t have two mothers?”

“Two mothers?” Aurora nodded. “Has that ever been done?”

“Emma told me that it’s becoming more common where she’s from, so why not here?”

Mulan grinned, kissing Aurora again and almost lifting her off her feet.

“Ok, two mothers it is.”


	2. Long Time Coming

Aurora insisted on talking to prince Philip alone, hoping to not overwhelm him with the new information. She found him caring for his sword in the room they shared, and he smiled at her as she walked in.

“Can I talk to you?” she asked, her heart pounding as her nerves finally set in. What if she was wrong? What if he got mad? Worrying didn’t change the fact that she had to tell him, but she couldn’t help it.

“Of course, my dear. Is something wrong?” He moved over so she could sit next to him, searching her face with worried eyes.

“Actually, yes,” she said, holding a hand up when he looked panicked. “The baby is fine,” she assured him, “this is about us.”

“What about us?” he asked, taking a hold of her hand gently.

“Mulan says she loves me,” she stated bluntly, deciding to get it over with. The prince’s face went blank, and his mouth hung open almost comically. “And I love her,” she went on, not giving him a chance to say anything. “I’m sorry Philip.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” he asked quietly, letting go of her hands.

“Because I didn’t think she could love me back. I decided to look for the best in what I had, which was you.”

“So you never loved me?” he asked, sounding hollow.

“Of course I loved you, and I still do. Just, not in the same way I love Mulan. She’s like breathing air after holding your breath for too long. I don’t think I could be happy without her. Are you ok?”

Philip laughed sadly, but not in anger. He ran a hand through his hair and then dropped his head into his hands, propping his elbows on his knees.

“I guess I saw this coming,” he murmured. “We weren’t happy together, just playing at it. I’m glad you found your happiness.” The smile he gave her now was sincere, if tinged with a bit of sadness.

“Are you going to be ok?” she asked again, wanting to make sure things weren’t ruined.

“I’ll manage. What about the baby?”

“It’s still your baby too, and you have every right to be a part of its life,” she assured him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. “I wouldn’t dream of keeping you out of its life.”

“Thank you.”

The two sat in amicable silence for a while before Aurora got up and said goodbye, leaving Philip to continue caring for his gear. She then went to find her Mulan, knowing that she’d probably be pacing with worry by now.

As she thought, she found Mulan walking back and forth the hall, looking like she was deciding whether she should leave them to talk or stage a rescue. When she saw Aurora, whole and happy, relief flooded her face. She quickly closed the space between them, but stopped just short of grabbing the princess.

“So?” she asked, her voice loud in the empty hall.

“He says he understands, and that he’s happy for us,” Aurora reported, placing a hand on Mulan’s shoulder. Even through the armor she could feel how tense her lover was, and she hoped she would be able to relieve her stress. “I told him he can still be a part of the baby’s life, but I made it clear that you and I are together, and that that is not going to change.”

Mulan relaxed under her hand, leaning towards her princess unconsciously. Aurora decided that wasn’t good enough and decided to change it into a full kiss, knowing there was lost time to make up for.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to be a short one-off thing, but then I was asked to continue it so there will be more to come.
> 
> Also, 'Learning Curves' takes place after this chapter.


End file.
